Infamously, Liv Tyler the daughter of Aerosmith felt the SALEM wave.
Around this time I went to countless Witchhouse themed shows in NYC, deployed with Poland springs bottles filled with 15% proof Merlot, and as many tall boys I could fit into backpack. Sometimes I crushed Oxycontin and put it vials. Went and Took the bus port authority, armed with brass knucks, and would spent the night aimlessly looking for good times. I would just hang out with creatures of the night, all types of people. Slew of stories in em daze.
I don't remember seeing SALEM live because I was way past throwed, I might've been 86'd before I got in or did I? I recall there was this event where I got denied entrance to a SALEM show. In them daze, I was proud of being 86'd, it was like a "Oh here's another club, bar, I can't go to what else u got" checkmark, it's sum total of like 13 places.
"KING NIGHT" was a big deal. It was toted as the first Big Witchhouse record, which is totally subjective, but the hype around this was tremendous. I preordered the LP early. I still own it, OG copy, probably never sell it.
You had that everybody was REAL into DJ Screw, he was this holy patron Saint. The method in which he broke ground to this deep dark slowed chill place, spread like wildfire. You could hear it in every Witchhouse song. DJ Screw legacy speaks for itself. He and the Screwed Up Clik, any one that jumped on those tapes, legend, would define decades to come, to where we're at now, minus the selection and taste in which he finessed.
So you hear in "KING NIGHT" the Screw influence, it's a tad showing. Yet here's John Holland bout to return SCREW. but go RAVY-like. Long not be forgotten even NYC based DJ Yo-Yo Dieting, whom was the herald of things to come. Was An influence that shan't be discarded. DJ Yo-Yo Dieting was probably the Velvet Underground to Brooklyn. As well as early drill, hear it in the drums and the nihilism, and to some extent David Lynch's Twin Peaks universe, honing on the tragedy of Laura Palmer.
When I reread that it sounds like a CIA psy-op. What isn't? Amirite?!
"KING NIGHT"
"I LOVE U" Gloriously the title track lands riffing like some lost metal from another room/plane (*if anyone knows that riff leave a comment), the opening cascades with a relentless angelic opera like choir. And those woozy empathic synths. Drums thumping. The title track is the triumph start to what follows. The production is so slick, it's between lo-fi and a hard slowed rave. It is the most best representation of the SALEM sound, as a lead track, it's a bingo. As far as 1# tracks , it's a certified banger, High Fidelity, reserved for that slot,
"ASIA"
Listening to this now, Heather Marlatt was the glue that held this outfit altogether. She whisks and soars on this album, and when she takes the vocals, it's cathartic, it's the moment of reflection of being in trance coming out, a siren signaling u from the fog the "Redlights". The singing style reminds of Tina Forbis from How I Quit Crack, the identifying words notes break through ice cold beats. "ASIA" hit like it's suppose ta, another continent from the previous track.
"FROST"
Begins with the icy synths like of Italo Horror Mater Suspiria Vision. Again this is like club throwed DJ Screw with shoegaze. This is so accessible. And yet it's the sound of the underground. It had to be SALEM to be projected in this limelight. Both "ASIA" & "FROST" are companion pieces. This particular piece could be the album single and be enough to describe its sound. This is easy one of my track pics along with "ASIA" but then there is...
"SICK"
Jack goes slowed Screw lead vicious rap while Heather plays the chorus. This is point in the record, wherein the darkness messy Satanic word play "Sick 6 6 car pile up just a mile up" that clouds the purple skies u see on the cover, hovers like a tumultuous blackened cloud. The angelic choir returns over a string bean trap beat. The hook is immaculate foreseeing a Final Destination car pile up. Jack raps about tying hands and feet, the first lyrical mention of bondage on KING NIGHT. This also was staple theme in witchhouse, duality harping on sociopathic self indulgence, hold a slave,"DO WHAT THOU WILT" to it's psychotic ends. Jack is like Children of the Corn, Big L, rapping on bout the most vile stuff he could get away with on wax. It's unfortunate that SALEM went total LGBTQ+S2 for their new record, which you'd have to pay me to listen, or whatever, all coz some democracts posing as music journalists called out SALEM as "Cultural Appropriation"... When u heard something like this it was dangerous in the sense that it was reckless, car wreck, at the time, and even now mining DJ Screw was absolutely vital. Taste get stronger. Who Don't Love SCREW. Always in these sounds, you heard a paid homage, totally obvious. Basically you heard the best music ever and you go and try it for yourself. There's no doubt SALEM was living that life. And traxx like this is a great exemplifier. You'll hear it again in "TRAPDOOR". This though is one of the or beginning dark points core of the record.
"RELEASE THE BOOR"
What I whittle down a sharp blade, the etchings, the sound, of a decade that follows. This record is timeless. These beats aren't just DJ SCREW but there's an everlasting Rave taking place. There's this neat effect on the vocals where Heather is laughing about something. "WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS". The stream of noise sounds like WHITE RING, except playful, given Heather's laughter. You got that Astronaught in deep space beep. AS IF SALEM now in a space of its OWN. This is a fond centerpiece yet that is reserved for the following tracks "TRAPDOOR" and "REDLIGHTS", this sound "RELEASE THE BOORS" is the unhinged gate effect for what is to come. Still a vital track in sequencing.
"TRAPDOOR"
Dark lyrical rabbit hole. "TRAPDOOR" is most likely, for better or worse, the track that is most known of KING NIGHT. "I'm not trying to look bad.... nah." "I Doubt she know FIRE But I Could Introduce". Controversial cut here, OMG, Jack's trying to or not be Lil Keke mixed with Gucci Mane mixed with GOD forbid Eminem, slow'd and throw'd, coming his own style, there could of been more of these cuts, but since there is not, this hits different. Such intense over the top Brainbombs lyrics with John Holland killing samples, are those humans over that vocoder? Lyrical A crazed dug addled man living like Thus Spake Zarathustra in the mountains. Having been thru relationships designed to fail, based upon exemplary models of how to live yr life, you can make out the hallucinations, could u in a club with this man talking to u wit his dog not barking, he not speaking? What u talking about? And at a point find reason in this blurred out hook. Lyrically this is the most identifiable piece given its directness, speaking broadly about taking industry by storm. On the Strength of the Vocal This piece alone cannot be ignored. It's another dimension, fitting, to the record. Eerily it foreshadows a fog amidst the purple skies. "It's like people say, We All Gonna Die, But me is different I'm not trying to be alive, I's try to get high, Baby that's my desire... Now Im pulling a sheet over my face before I die." The embodiment of SCREW and 3 6 Mafia "Stay Fly", and in hindsight the most part of the last decade. Fell in for the TRAPDOOR.
"REDLIGHTS"
This may be my favorite track. It counterparts "TRAPDOOR" for the center the heart of the record. The two songs cinematically complete each other like a yin-yang. Heather = the glue of SALEM. Man, her vocals is so beautiful wow. "REDLIGHTS" stands as much needed awakening to the previous "TRAPDOOR", they sand dual with one another. Damn these synths so sharp, so woozy, glow-lights. Clapping and trapping drums. Laura Palmer on the Motorcycle with James, and James don't understand "REDLIGHTS". Continuous wordless vocals that just drip pon Tis sonic palette, invoking ecstasy of dance throwaway cares knowing of the divisive lights. There is no other band that could do this better. That come down sound where u are stopped at a traffic light, yet there is elsewhere to go. This is the ultimate nostalgia stopgap. "REDLIGHTS" will remind definable u of this particular time, it's the saving grace of the record (the next track presents to continue this but with perhaps sinister based intention). The trap drums, frozen in time, with cycling abiding hi-hats. This is that moment that clearly big ups the first half of the record and all but completes the 2nd half, this is the center... but
"HOUND"
With "RELEASE THE BOOR" here be it come "HOUND". Jack wordless dances the vocal, seemingly like taking Heather's contribution. This is the counterpart to "REDLIGHTS" and probably "ASIA" and "FROST". It's strangely welcoming, and comes to be a defining witch house track. It feels as if u could rest yr head between this and "REDLIGHTS". Endlessly venturing into the city lit nights, as some freakishly released HOUND preying pon any oppurtunity to exhibit or confound fun.
"TRAXX"
The come down Track. Wherein The prison closes. This is probably the weakest track, but it fits so well with other Heather vocal performances. It's that CIA psy-op sort of thing where we got something cold and locking happening, it's definitely sinister yet sublime. It is bittersweet given the context and the info of how the elite wanted rappers to sound as dumb and lifeless as Dr. Dre in order to fulfill prison investments, given any mumble happily drug pushed pill popper rapper. If I could look past this., and what choice do u have when forced,... As if Both "RELEASE THE BOOR" and "HOUND" equates this...? hmmm. Still it's a pivotal moment in KING NIGHT... though it as if this was a transitional track for the next, hence the titled "TRAXX". And those synths... By writing this as the weakest track, it becomes interesting in the "KING NIGHT" widescreen of sounds.
"TAIR"
Continues what "SICK" and "TRAPDOOR" concluded. This being a beat tape more Indian Influenced. Which is interesting to think about given how stripped down it is from it's choir vocal beat. The raps are not as violent or as strong as Jack's previous efforts. This album without doubt, is a October record, had to state that. "If Yr Going to do something, do it well and Leave something Witchy"
"KILLER"
The Last Track. Continuing "HOUND" and "REDLIGHTS" in theme of beat. Aimlessly wandering vocal. This tune just supplements how strong SALEM were with sound and vision. "KILLER" plays as if it fit on the A-Side. Washy synths and more spaced trap beat. What's interesting to me is that Heather could of volleyed Jack's vocals. But maybe this is a concept and she vanished in the middle of the record.
*INCOMING RANT ALERT*
It's just so predictable how virtue signaling goners give money to democraps (this ain't political cos swamp ass republicants suck a stifled studded numb dildo, jokes, establishment), act blue blm, dirtbag leftoids signaling other dirtbag leftists, celebs with bags getting paid to ironically say "my body my choice" (jabs mandated anyone?), twitter rage could say anything negative about this record. It's clearly a masterpiece, SALEM's moment in time where they got the zeitgeist and delivered, and even more so given how terrible the new influenced pandering SALEM record was, You couldn't pay me to listen to that shh all the way thru. No wonder Heather left. Jimmy Kimmel worn blackface so did Sarah Silverman, what dirtbag celebrity didn't, and here they are REBORN advancing an agenda. The news cried about Gabby P's murder and how that's white privilege, but through out it's dominated time, did they ever cover cold cases involving minorities, in the previous timeline, no of course not, THEY never did cover, it's a talking point, covering up for their MISTAKES, which they still IS MAKING. I Talked To Mothers of missing sons and daughters, nobody looking, that's politicians do, they never do the things they virtue signal to do. The outrage on SALEM KING NIGHT is typical paid journalist fodder Where does Pitchfork get its money, man they sux the big one, KING NIGHT was and is a SUPERB record. Fuck you college trained nitwits backed up by corporate interest. Such a harsh direct to leave it, making it better than it ever sounded. KING NIGHT record is the still the shit.
Conclusion:
The Best Tracks
1. REDLIGHTS *****
2. KING NIGHT *****
3. TRAPDOOR *****
4. ASIA *****
5. RELEASE THE BOOR *****
6. SICK *****
7. HOUND *****
8. FROST *****
9. KILLER ****
10. TAIR ****
11. TRAXX ***
WHO rates records on a scale, gay.
SALEM "KING NIGHT" CLASSIC
Whoa on discogs the original pressing goes for 50 bucks. Got mine.
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